STANDARD IIIC: Technology Resources

Technology
resources are used to support student learning programs and services and to
improve institutional effectiveness. Technology planning is integrated with
institutional planning.

The institution assures that any
technology support it provides is designed to meet the needs of learning,
teaching, college-wide communications, research, and operational systems.

Gavilan College strives to provide technology resources and support to all
educational programs, regardless of where the instruction occurs or by what means of delivery. As one of the
state's smaller colleges, the desire to be comprehensive and state-of-the-art
is challenging. The Technology Master Plan (3C.1) structures a process for
identification of needs, judicious allocation of resources, and technology
decision-making. The Measure E Bond and instructional equipment monies will
provide significant technology enhancement for educational programs and the
institution.

Gavilan College ensures that technology needs are identified
through the District Technology Committee (DTC). The committee advises the
President's Council on technology issues affecting the district (3C.2). The
committee's bylaws include: assuring compliance with the statewide Total Cost
of Ownership (TCO) model, setting minimum technical standards; prioritizing
technology needs; assuring compliance with the California Community College
Chancellor's Office, state, and federal MIS reporting requirements; promoting
educational programs relating to technology; and serving as the initial
screening level for all technology improvements (3C.3). The DTC fosters the
development of resources, coordinates the update of the Technology Master Plan,
and examines the technical needs of the faculty, staff, and students. The
purpose of the Technology Master Plan (3C.1) is to provide a prioritization
list to inform strategic technology and resource allocation decisions.

The
instructional programs, student services, and administrative services are supported
by technology; however, not at the level that all would like. There are
approximately 1,000 computer stations on campus for students, faculty, and
staff. The library has a drop-in computer center with over 80 computer
stations. Fully equipped computer labs have been installed at the off-site
locations in Morgan Hill and Hollister and there is also a computer lab at the
Hollister airport location for the aviation students. The Mathematics,
Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program has a mobile laptop computer
lab for classroom use, workshops, and a student loan program. The TRIO Student
Support Services program also provides laptop loans for their students.

Several
instructional programs such as ESL (English as a Second Language) and math have
incorporated technology components into their program curricula for enhancement
of learning outcomes by developing their own computer labs. A variety of
telecourses and online courses are offered each year. An increasing number of
instructors are experimenting with online course delivery. Many faculty have
added web pages, bulletin board or chat room components, and online assignments
to supplement their curriculum. Some faculty and students are also using
"blogs" to communicate, such as the Teach 4 Tomorrow Club and the Rho Alpha Mu
Club (Gavilan's Honor Society) (3C.4). Many lecture halls are now multimedia
smart classrooms, and off-site learning environments have multimedia
capabilities. However, according to the 2005 Accreditation Survey results, only
42 percent think that we have adequate technology for instructional needs in
the classroom (3C.5, question F7). Classroom technology will be improved
through Measure E renovations.

Administrative
services departments utilize technology in their daily work and business
practices. Applications include budget development, finance, catalog
development, scheduling, and state reporting. The ERP, as described above, will
integrate workflow and provide access to the system through the internet.

Gavilan College evaluates the effectiveness of its
technology in meeting needs by conducting surveys of students, staff and
faculty. The results are used to update the Technology Master Plan and create
the Minimum Standards for Classrooms and Labs (3C.7). These Minimum Technical
Standards will be used as a guideline for Measure E planning and implementation
of the Minimum Standards for Classrooms and Labs document (3C.7, 3C.8).

According to the Accreditation Survey 2005, many students
indicated a positive impression of Gavilan College's technology access. For
example, 55 percent agreed that phone registration simplifies the registration
process (3C.6, question 34); 80 percent agreed that they can easily access the
college catalog, class schedule, and website (3C.6, question 35); and 71
percent agreed that the availability of technology meets their needs (3C.6,
question 3).

Staff had varied opinions regarding access to technology.
Fifty-seven percent agreed that instructional and computing equipment is
appropriate and well maintained (3C.5, question 24); 60 percent agree that
technical support is adequate (3C.5, question 25); 71 percent would like
wireless access to the campus network and the Internet (3C.5, question 30).
Overall 72 percent of the staff indicated that their computer hardware and
software programs are adequate for their needs (3C.5, question 31).

Campus
technology meets a range of needs from phone registration for students to
financial accounting systems (BiTech), and web services for faculty. These
applications are only partially integrated at this point, but will become more
seamless and accessible with the implementation of ERP. To be more effective in
meeting the technical needs and streamlining business processes, the purchase
and implementation of this integrated system and new hardware will be provided
through Measure E bond funding. As in all technological developments,
significant staff training will be required.

Since 1998,
Gavilan has had an active Technology Committee consisting of faculty, staff,
administrators, and students interested in technology issues. The members serve
both an advocacy and an advisory role. The District Technology Committee posts meeting
minutes and agendas online (3C.9).

The District Technology Committee was originally a
subcommittee of the President's Council. During May 2004, the District
Technology Committee became an institutional standing committee and was
reorganized into the current District Technology Committee and the Faculty
Senate Technology Committee. The District Technology Committee membership
consists of appointed representatives from all constituent groups on campus.
The chairperson is the vice president of administrative services. The District
Technology Committee has developed a mission (3C.2), created by-laws (3C.3),
meets regularly, and posts its minutes on the intranet (3C.8). Several task
forces have been developed from the District Technology Committee that continue
to meet on important issues such as: Section 508 (3C.10); ERP (Enterprise
Resource Plan); Minimum Standards for Classrooms and Labs (3C.7); Website
Design/Web Standards work group (3C.11), Web Services and the Distance
Education Committee.

The original
technology committee completed the final draft of the Technology Master Plan on
May 11, 2003 (3C.1). The purpose of the Technology Master Plan (3C.1) is to
provide a prioritization list to inform strategic technology and resource
allocation decisions, and to identify technology components required for
compliance with the Strategic and Educational Master Plans. The Technology Plan
is a "living document" that is reviewed and updated annually. The District
Technology Committee continues to monitor the plan when making decisions.

On March 2, 2004
district voters approved Measure E, a facilities improvement bond that will
include upgrading and renovating existing facilities (3C.12). Improvements in
technology infrastructure, minimal classroom and lab technical standards, and
the purchase of an integrated ERP system were included within this bond
funding. The district refers to the Technology Master Plan to guide decisions
related to Measure E renovations.

Technology services,
professional support, facilities, hardware, and software are designed to
enhance the operation and effectiveness of the institution.

DESCRIPTION:

Gavilan College
makes decisions about technology services, facilities, hardware, and software
via the recommendations of the District Technology Committee. The Committee
strives for the college to achieve the California Community College's
Chancellor's Office (CCCCO) guidelines on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) (3C.1,
Appendix B)when designing its operations and improving its overall
effectiveness. This Total Cost of Ownership approach is used to factor in not
only initial capital outlay, but also staffing, maintenance, training,
operational, and replacement costs;however, the college is unable to
attain the state's TCO standards due to the lack of funding.

The college was
also cognizant of the need to replace the Santa Rosa data management system
with a fully integrated commercially produced system. The new ERP solution will
enable the district to streamline business processes, and extend and enhance
personalized access to information and services, making business practices
within the district easy and efficient. Once the new ERP system is in place, we
will have more online services available to support distance learning programs
and courses.

EVALUATION:

The college
meets this standard. Gavilan College is supported by technology, and decisions
relating to technology are made by the District Technology Committee. The DTC
recommends and prioritizes issues, which are identified through the Technology
Master Plan. Even though the Technology Master Plan prioritizes the needs, many
decisions are necessarily influenced by budget constraints. Funding constraints
have limited the extent to which some issues have been addressed in the past;
however, Measure E bond funds will greatly expand the extent to which these
needs can be met. The TCO model guides the college in determining the full cost
of ownership (one-time and on-going costs, support, training, and replacement)
when purchasing equipment. However, there is still inadequate support to
maintain, repair, and improve performance of the equipment, as well as a lack
of trained faculty, staff and students. According to the Accreditation Survey
2005, approximately half of the staff indicated that they need additional
resources to support students and employees in the use of technology (3C.5,
questions 27, 28).

Distance
learning programs and courses are accommodated by appropriate technology. Since
Gavilan does not have enough resources (hardware or personnel) to host the
online courses offered, all online courses are hosted by the Etudes project
from the DeAnza-Foothill District. Etudes provides secure, reliable, 24/7
access, and technical support for instructors. The contract with the Etudes
consortium provides Gavilan with disaster recovery, privacy, and security
(3C.13). Instructors and staff utilize the Staff Resource Center that is
equipped with relatively new computers, software to create web pages, images,
text files, PDF files, and technical support.

Lack of air
conditioning for some facilities with computers is a problem which will be
alleviated by the Measure E renovations. With excessive heat, the reliability
of the processor and all the components inside the computer is compromised, and
its usable life cycle is shortened. The Measure E engineering evaluation and
funding will ensure air-cooling and circulation for all facilities.

PLAN:

None

The institution provides quality training in the effective application of
its information technology to students and personnel.

DESCRIPTION:

Gavilan College has provided quality technology training as required
for staff, faculty, and students. The library, the high tech center, and the
writing lab provide computer training on a "drop-in" basis in
addition to regular computer classes for students.

For faculty and staff, the Staff Resource Center (SRC) provides
training on a variety of topics such as creation of web pages with Dreamweaver,
creating presentations with PowerPoint, incorporating web accessibility and
conducting online classes. The Staff Resource Center maintains an online
calendar with scheduled training plus email links and telephone numbers to
request specific software or hardware training (3C.14).

The college has
three committees that are charged with faculty and staff development: of the
Faculty Staff Development Committee (3C.15), the CSEA (California Schools
Employee Association) Staff Development Committee, and the College Staff
Development Committee, which is a standing committee under the President's
Council.

The Faculty
Staff Development Committee, which is a standing committee of the Academic
Senate, is responsible for all of the contractual aspects of faculty
development including the approval of co-curricular, flex time, and travel for meetings and/or conferences. The committee has an
established constitution and by-laws (3C.16). The College Staff Development
Committee began an effort to define competencies for faculty when they
developed the 2005-2006 unit plan (3C.17). One specific goal related to
technology training is included. The unit plan's goal number four states "the Staff Development Committee will provide appropriate training for
all staff to maintain high levels of competency in technology, instructional
modalities, and work requirements" (3C.17). This effort is ongoing through the
Staff Resource Center and Staff Development Day activities.

The College
Staff Development Committee organizes various one-hour technical workshops that
are offered during Staff Development days on subjects such as: Excel, Word,
Reflections, and web page development.

Enterprise
Resource Plan (ERP) installation will occur over the next two to three years.
The implementation will include significant amounts of technology training
especially for faculty and staff. As technical requirements for jobs are
changing, Gavilan job descriptions will need to reflect appropriate technical
competencies. Many job descriptions do not include technology competencies
unless it is specifically part of a job function.

EVALUATION:

Gavilan needs to
establish competencies for faculty, staff, and students, and develop a plan for
providing training to achieve those competencies.

Computer
literacy is required for many different disciplines. English as a Second
Language (ESL) students, for example, spend one class session per week in a lab
viewing internet sites, using e-mail, and using specialized ESL software.
English classes spend one session per week in the computer labs using software
such as word processing, spreadsheets, specialized databases and the internet
for research purposes. Many other programs such as Political Science,
Astronomy, Biology, and Statistics include computer training as part of their
curriculum. Spanish classes use GASPAR – a unique software program developed at
Gavilan College. For students who plan to take an online course, a noncredit
course, "Introduction to Online Gavilan" was added in summer 2006, however it
is optional. Technical competencies for students can be included in the
individual program learning outcomes.

The Staff Resource Center (SRC) provides effective training to both
faculty and staff through classes and one-on-one training as requested (3C.14).
The Staff Resource Center is staffed seven hours per week with a faculty
trainer. The Webmaster and the Distance Education Coordinator also provide
additional back-up training. The Distance Education Coordinator works
extensively with faculty members and their online course management system. The
Distance Education Department website is very informative for both staff and
students (3C.18). The results of the 2005 Accreditation Survey indicated that
53 percent of the faculty agreed that adequate support is available for their
online class development and use (3C.5, question F6).

The staff and faculty are encouraged to contact the SRC with questions
and training requests. The SRC works with the library to provide supporting
materials for software applications that are adopted campus wide. When a faculty
member takes an SRC course, he or she may apply the hours toward co-curricular
or flex time; however, there is no formal record of completion for training.
When administrators or classified staff complete SRC training, there are no
written procedures established to record completion.

Gavilan College
assesses the need for information technology training for students and
personnel with surveys and online orientation and help pages for students. The
results of the 2005 Accreditation Survey indicated that 58 percent of the staff
agreed that training is available and sufficient to meet their needs (3C.5,
question 29). Periodically, personnel training needs have been assessed by
campus-wide surveys and by individual requests. Most of these training issues are
addressed in the College Staff Development Committee unit plan; however, that
plan has not been implemented for reasons including the frequent turnover of
upper level staff positions.

Extensive training components for faculty and staff are included with the
upcoming ERP system software. These training issues have been discussed by the
ERP subcommittee, which is a part of the District Technology Committee.

PLAN:

Establish
competencies for students enrolled in online courses.

Include
technical competencies in job descriptions as they are updated.

Work
to negotiate technical competencies into faculty and staff contracts.

Through the District Technology Committee and the Technology
Master Plan, Gavilan College systematically plans technology acquisitions and
upgrades to meet institutional needs and stay current with prevailing technology.

Gavilan College provides for the management, maintenance,
and operation of its technological infrastructure and equipment through the
college Management Information Systems (MIS) department (3C.1, Appendix B). The
college has added significantly to the MIS staff during the past several years.
The staff has grown from one MIS Director and contract personnel to a staff of
six, including an assistant MIS Director, senior PC technician, two PC
technicians, and a webmaster. MIS uses contracted services for network
administration, Macintosh support, and special projects.

Measure E bond funds have provided new equipment for the
student labs and will provide needed infrastructure upgrades (3C.8).

Gavilan College
provides daily and quarterly backups for critical servers and data. Backups are
completed and stored in a fireproof vault in a campus building separate from
the MIS facility.

EVALUATION:

As a part of the Telecommunications and Technology
Infrastructure Program (TTIP), that started in 1996-1997, the Chancellor's
Office in conjunction with the Gartner Group, issued standards relating to the
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of computer hardware and software (3C.19).
According to these optimal standards, there is still a lack of MIS staff
support at Gavilan College. Despite not meeting these optimal standards, the
staff in Gavilan's MIS department continues to be excellent in support and
maintenance of technical services for the Gavilan community and clearly meets
the accreditation standard.

Once Measure E bond funds have been expended, a long-term
plan will be needed to adequately fund and maintain the institution's physical
resources and technology.

A disaster plan
for off-site storage and disaster recovery needs to be included in the update
of the District Technology Plan.

PLAN:

Include an annual allocation of funds for upgrading the
technological infrastructure, support services, and equipment once the Measure
E bond funds are expended.

The distribution and utilization of technology resources supports the development,
maintenance, and enhancement of its programs and services.

DESCRIPTION:

Gavilan College makes decisions about the use and
distribution of its technology resources via the District Technology Committee
(DTC) with input from Deans Council, Curriculum Committee, and Department
Chairs. The DTC has approved several standards that are included in the
Technology Master Plan Appendix E (3C.1). The hardware and software standards
have been developed, and the web and network management standards are being
developed.

The Web Design/Web Policy subcommittee has worked to create
a new home page for the Gavilan College website that was activated on Staff
Development Day, January 19, 2006 (3C.20). The Web Design/Web Policy subcommittee
is in the process of establishing Gavilan's official web standards and has
developed a website that lists its minutes along with tips for faculty and
staff (3C.11). The Board approved the District Computer Use standards on
December 11, 2001 (3C.21).

Gavilan College provides access to district programs and services to
individuals with disabilities to the fullest reasonable extent possible, as
guaranteed by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990 (3C.10). Section 508 requires that all electronic
and information technology developed, procured, maintained, used, or purchased
by public agencies receiving federal funds is accessible to people with
disabilities. The Section 508 subcommittee has created an implementation plan
to accompany the district's 508 policy (3C.10, Board Policy 6340) approved in
April 2002. The Alternate Media Production Guidelines are included in the
Section 508 Standards plan and are published on the college website (3C.22).

Gavilan
College has made provisions to assure a robust and secure technical
infrastructure, providing maximum reliability for students and faculty. We have
utilized the contractual services of an outside firm to provide quality network
administration services. We have upgraded the infrastructure (Symantec Gateway
Appliance for security and intrusion detection, upgraded switches, etc.) in
accordance with the recommendations of these consultants. Measure E will
provide for significant infrastructure upgrades.

Gavilan College
has policies and procedures in place to keep the infrastructure up-to-date,
depending upon funding levels. The District Technology Committee has a hardware
replacement plan to replace lab computers every three years, and re-deploy the
computers from the labs to faculty and staff as needed (3C.1, Appendix F, 3C.8). Upgrades to the infrastructure are requested during the annual budget
development process.

Gavilan College
has given sufficient consideration to equipment for selected distance programs.
The Staff Resource Center has computers updated on a regular basis, with new
software installed as the needs of the staff and instructors change.
Specialized hardware is provided for staff and instructors, such as scanners,
color printers, laminators, etc. In addition, laptop computers are available on
loan for the distance education instructors, complete with standard software.
Televised courses, Channel 18 GavTV, library videos, and San Jose State live
telecourses are included in the distance education program.

Gavilan College
effectively distributes and uses technology on campus. Measure E has provided
the funds needed to implement the computer replacement plan: computers in
classrooms should be replaced every three years in order to keep pace with the
level of technology demanded by industry and education. Classroom labs should
be updated and maintained using current technology as funding permits.
Computers from the labs should be recycled for use as faculty/staff computers
where possible (3C.1, 3C.8).

The Title 5
grant has provided funding for a Digital Media Lab, which utilizes Macintosh
computers. Selected instructional programs and staff also require the use of
Macintosh computers.

EVALUATION:

Gavilan College is following the existing hardware and
software standards developed by the District Technology Committee. The web and
network management standards are still being developed by various
sub-committees under the DTC. The Section 508 standards (3C.23) will need to be
implemented once the Board restructures the Administrative procedures.

Gavilan currently has a plan for distribution and
utilization of technology resources to support the development, maintenance,
and enhancement of programs and services. The Technology Master Plan addresses
some of these issues (3C.1, Appendix F). The Replacement Plan (3C.1, Appendix
F), the Computer Hardware Standards (3C.1, Appendix E.1), and the Computer
Software Standards (3C.1, Appendix E.2) currently relate to the distribution
and utilization of technology resources and are being followed.However,
to be comprehensive, this all-inclusive plan should prioritize technology
issues that include the following areas: safety, security, equal access, cost
effectiveness, improve education, and improve operations. These areas will be
addressed in the update of the District Technology Plan.

The Computer Replacement Plan does not address the upgrade
of Macintosh computers. The DTC discussed criteria for determination of the
instructional programs and staff that require the use of Macintosh computers
(3C.8, Dec. 15, 2005, Jan. 19, 2006). This is currently under review by the
vice president of instruction.

Once Measure E
bond funds are expended, general funds will be needed to support and upgrade
the infrastructure. There will be a need for the district to address the impact
of its technological investments and to provide an ongoing financial
commitment. The DTC will continue to push for the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
model as the goal for the Gavilan College.

PLAN:

Complete development of the web and network management
standards as a part of the revision to the District Technology Plan.

Technology planning is integrated
with institutional planning. The institution systematically assesses the
effective use of technology resources and uses the results of evaluation as the
basis for improvement.

DESCRIPTION:

Gavilan College
ensures that facilities decisions relating to technology emanate from
institutional needs and plans for improvement through the Technology Master
Plan (3C.1). The plan initiatives were developed from the institutional needs
identified in the Educational Master Plan, Facilities Master Plan,
Telecommunication Technology Infrastructure Program (TTIP) and the Chancellor's
Office Guidelines for Disabled Student Programs and Services. The District
Technology Committee considers these issues and makes recommendations for
improvement. The recommendations are forwarded to the President's Council and
then to the budget development process. In the past, budget constraints have
limited the college's ability to implement many recommendations; however, many
of the initiatives in the Technology Master Plan have already been completed.
Currently, Measure E funding and the associated facilities planning meetings
and forums have generated input from all faculty and staff, some students, and
even community members. Future facilities decisions need to be included in the
update of the Technology Master Plan. Since the current Technology Master Plan
(3C.1) was designed to be a living document for identifying and developing
initiatives, Gavilan is currently in the process of updating it. To ensure that
technology planning is integrated with institutional planning, the update will
include all technical aspects that support the Strategic Plan, the Educational
Master Plan, and the overall vision of the campus.

The "Minimum
Technology Standards in Classroom and Labs" was drafted in consultation with
the Academic Senate, Academic Senate Tech Task Force, and Alfa Tech, a private
consulting firm. At the District Technology Committee meeting on January 19,
2006, it was recommended that the report become a part of the revised
Technology Plan, acting as a living document (3C.8).

EVALUATION:

The District
Technology Committee (DTC) continues to monitor the current Technology Master
Plan while making technology related decisions. In October 2005, the district
hired a consultant to improve and update the existing plan.

Gavilan
College bases its technology decisions on the results of evaluation of program
and service needs. The current Minimum Standards for Classrooms and Labs
document is the result of meetings with faculty, staff, and students and is
incorporated into the Technology Master Plan (3C.8). The District Technology
Committee discussed the need to develop periodic surveys for gathering input
from the Gavilan community into technology services at the December 15, 2005
meeting (3C.8).

Gavilan College
prioritizes needs when making decisions about technology purchases by taking
issues to the DTC. The DTC needs to address the following issues (in order of
priority): safety, security, equal access, cost effectiveness, improved
education, and improved operation.